It is known to provide a stairlift with a chair swivel facility to enable the chair to be swivelled at the top of the rail. This facility not only makes mounting and dismounting easier for a user, but also enhances safety as, in the swivelled position, the chair projects further into the staircase. In the past it has been considered important that the chair cannot be swivelled in a downhill direction when the stairlift is at the top of the rail. As a consequence, swivel mechanisms are typically configured only to allow rotation through 90°. This has a drawback that the chair cannot be swivelled at the bottom of the rail to facilitate mounting and dismounting at that end of the rail.
In our published International Patent Application No. WO 2005/012152 we describe a two-way powered swivelling mechanism which enables the chair to be swivelled, in opposite directions, at the top and bottom of the rail. Suitable electrical/electronic interlocks ensure that the chair only swivels in the downhill direction at the bottom of the rail, and in the uphill direction at the top of the rail. However a powered system such as this including two motor/gearbox units, and associated worm drives, adds considerable complexity and cost to a stairlift.
It is an object of the invention to provide a stairlift which will go at least some way in addressing the aforementioned problems; or which will at least provide a novel and useful choice.